Renal Carcinoma with Increased Erythropoietin Production and Secondary Polycythemia

A report on a patient with renal carcinoma with increased erythropoietin production and secondary polycythemia is given. After nephrectomy, the hemoglobin and hematocrit values decreased to normal levels. For some months after the operation, the patient had no symptoms, but the hemoglobin and hematocrit values were increasing, indicating a recurrence of the tumor. It was also found that the serum erythropoietin level had increased considerably. On re-operation, a recidivating tumor was found. test material was injected on two consecutive days, each day either 0.5 ml plasma or 0.5 ml urine extract. The concentrated urine was dissolved in 5 ml 0.154 M Nacl prior to injection. Five mice were used in each assay group. The percentage incorporation of 59Fe in the erythrocytes was used as a parameter and was then correlated to a dose-response curve of International Standard B Erythropoietin (WHO International Laboratories for Biological Standards, Mill Hill, London, England).